Vehicle protection bumper assembly

Abstract

A light-weight resilient vehicle protection bumper assembly comprising resilient bumper bars clamped to a vehicle chassis which extend across the width of the vehicle at its front end (in some cases also at its rear end), the bumper bars being formed from transparent polycarbonate tubing, mounted in rubber.

I claim: 
     
       1. A vehicle protection bumper assembly comprising at least two spaced support bars, each support bar having a clamping portion means for clamping said support bar to a vehicle, said support bar also having an upstanding bumper carrier portion, at least two transversely extending bumper bars of resilient material, each said bumper bar being a polycarbonate tube having a modulus of elasticity exceeding 290,000 pounds per square inch, and   a plurality of clamps clamping each bumper bar to the upstanding bumper carrier portions of said support bars, each said clamp comprising an assembly of three rubber blocks in tandem and lying in face to face relationship so as to form two separation planes, each separation plane being a diametral plane of circular walls defining a clamping aperture in which said upstanding bumper carrier portion and a said bumper bar is respectively located, end plates on the assembly, and clamping bolts extending through said rubber blocks and end plates and clamping said bumper carrier portion and bumper bar,   the shape and dimensions of said support bars and bumper bars being such that, when said support bars are clamped to the vehicle at one end of the vehicle the bumper bars extend across the width of the vehicle at said vehicle end.   
     
     
       2. A vehicle protection bumper assembly according to claim 1 wherein each said support bar is a steel tube. 
     
     
       3. A vehicle protection bumper assembly according to claim 1 further comprising limit tubes around respective said clamping bolts, extending through said rubber blocks and limiting clamping movement of said end plates. 
     
     
       4. A vehicle protection bumper assembly according to claim 1 further comprising limit means limiting clamping movement of the end plates such that interference between the clamping aperture walls of each said clamping aperture and the bar clamped thereby is less than four percent (4%). 
     
     
       5. A vehicle protection bumper assembly according to claim 1 wherein the clamping apertures are transverse to each other. 
     
     
       6. A vehicle protection bumper assembly according to claim 1 wherein the tubes are transparent. 
     
     
       7. A vehicle protection bumper assembly according to claim 1 wherein the tubes have ends which are closed with caps of the same material as the tubes.